Posted by sweetmarie on August 27, 2001, at 12:19:53
In reply to Re: Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) and Depression, posted by phillybob on August 27, 2001, at 10:22:43
> It has seemed to me that many women disregard or publicly minimize attention to PMS as they might perceive it to be a sign of weakness. As a man, I sense women do not wish to bring attention to this for such fears (and traditionally male-dominated medicine might have had, in addition to no seeming non-financial self-interest, the same trepidations in addressing such).
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> As far as the cause of such fears, I would suppose that men and our society's preference for traditional "male-type" characteristics is the culprit, along with an unhealthy modicum of socially-"acceptable" joking about this female biological function.
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> Differences between male and female are too often minimized in the name of equality. Differences should be understood and embraced or altered, as REALLY appropriate. (It is somewhat a paradox, though, that the gains made in women's equality by minimizing women's differences is what will hopefully result in more understanding and acceptance of the differences!)
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> In the risk of generating "attack" (or more hopefully, discussion), I have an idealistic view that there may actually be benefit to having the cyclical hormonal change which may result in giving women the ability to see and participate in the world through a different window ... and I would view such as a gift. (Kind of like forced meditation on life?).
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> Nonetheless, such a period (no pun intended) could, no doubt, be unbearable if amidst a greater and more generalized "depressed" life. Even for a normally technically undepressed woman, , the power of any symptoms, emotionally and physically, are obviously beyond my fathom and may just be worthwhile eliminating as much as possible?- Bob,
I agree with you on all your earlier points but, even outside a `generalised "depressed life"`, many of the symptoms of Pre-Menstrual Syndrome are difficult, frightening and unpleasant. The depression symptoms aside, one big area is that of irritability and hostility. I can`t explain the extent to the distress that this causes both to the PMS sufferer and those around (family, partner, friends etc.). The best way I can describe this is by saying that I feel as though I have been taken over by another person, i.e. a very unpleasant person. Basically I turn into some kind of harridan - I find that I have only contempt for what others are saying, and more often than not I tell them to shut up/f*** off or whatever. In worse scenarios, I`ve been known to become violent - I`ve thrown things at some of my exes simply for not listening to me. I get totally filled with hate. Added to this, there`s the disorientation, forgetfulness and confusion - i.e. walking around in a total daze. I could go on ... I assure you that, by no stretch of the imagination could it be seen as a `gift` (well, if it is a gift, it`s not one I want or have asked for). I think you got it right when you said about eliminating as many symptoms as possible.
> In a final note, "hormones," as a word, are too often, in our society, bandied about with a relation to women alone as well as having negative connotations. Heck, men and women are biologically different, but we both have hormones and the further study of such could ultimately lead to solutions to many of our collective problems. (I recall some threads here dealing with not only hormone supplements but even just the "food" to create hormones, in the form of vitamins, minerals, etc.; also, any links to such threads or repeat of ideas here, as I likely have done, would be cool).
I think that maintaining a healthy balance of hormones (male and female - but obviously more so with women) has a lot to do with healthy eating, i.e. not eating too much junk food, not drinking too much caffeine, not drinking (alcohol) excessively, not smoking etc. I can just about cut all those things out except smoking, which will be a major achievement if I ever do manage it. Anyway, yes basically, food plays a big part.
Anna.
poster:sweetmarie
thread:76433
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010822/msgs/76597.html